By Chris Phillips, PA
Isocrate can break his duck in the CRS Building Supplies “National Hunt” Maiden Hurdle at Exeter.
The six-year-old has made steady progress for Jonjo O’Neill and was only beaten a short head by Victoria Milano last time out at Sandown when hanging right on the run-in.
The soft ground will suit and the drop in the class will also be in his favour at the Devon track.
He returned to the racecourse following an extended 311-day absence at Chepstow in January and the two-and-a-half-mile distance looked too much for him as he did not stay and weakened having been prominent for the majority of the race.
The drop back to two miles at Sandown was more to his liking and over the same distance and can get off the mark at the fourth time of asking under rules.
Zambezi Fix can get back into the winner’s enclosure in the feature Westexe Forklifts Ltd Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.
The nine-year-old won going away at Chepstow at the end of December at this level and was beaten a neck when jumping right on returning to the Welsh venue a month later.
Robert Williams again takes off a valuable 3lb and he can build on last month’s staying-on second in a Pertemps qualifier back over fences, with the ground in his favour once more.
Marble Sands can make it back-to-back National Hunt victories in a match race in the Weatherbys Retire A Military Animal #datr Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase at Leicester.
Even with Nick Slatter taking off 5lb, Marble Sands is giving a stone away to Lord Of Kerak but he can back up last month’s win at Musselburgh with another win after a first run on the all-weather when he missed the start.
The booking of title-chasing rider Harry Cobden can help guide Royal Mer to another Leicester success in the William Hercock Limited Royal Lancers Association Handicap Chase.
Although not a frequent visitor, Cobden has a 28 per cent strike-rate at the East Midlands circuit and his mount is fancied to reverse the form with Noche Negra from their meeting at Southwell last month, with the drop back in trip to two miles not a negative.
Cap Du Mathan can make a winning start to his hunter chase career for champion trainer Paul Nicholls and his daughter Olive Nicholls in the closing Leicestershire And Derbyshire Yeomanry Open Hunters’ Chase.
Cap Du Mathan has been pulled up in three of his last four starts, but the drop in class and distance can invigorate him and guide him back into the winning enclosure for the first time in more than a year.
Top tips for today’s UK meetings
TAB is betting on 4 UK meetings today. Here are the tips.
EXETER: Race 1: 15.40 ISOCRATE (NAP), Race 2: 16.10 Donnacha, Race 3: 16.40 Bonza Boy, Race 4: 17.10 Zambezi Fix, Race 5: 17.40 Supervisor, Race 6: 18.10 Activist.
AYR: Race 1: 16.00 Ayiko, Race 2: 16.30 Cancan, Race 3: 17.00 Weaver's Answer, Race 4: 17.30 Artic Row, Race 5: 18.00 Whosmydaddy, Race 6: 18.30 El Elefante.
LEICESTER: Race 1: 16.20 Marble Sands, Race 2: 16.50 Royal Mer, Race 3: 17.20 Bobbi's Beauty, Race 4: 17.50 Percy Veering, Race 5: 18.20 William Cody, Race 6: 18.50 Cap Du Mathan.
NEWCASTLE: Race 1: 19.00 Mass Consumption, Race 2: 19.30 One More Dream, Race 3: 20.00 Blazing Son, Race 4: 20.30 Star Jasmine, Race 5: 21.00 Saaheq, Race 6: 21.30 Enola Grey, Race 7: 22.00 To The Bar, Race 8: 22.30 Big Narstie.
ALL TO COME: Isocrate and Zambezi Fix (Exeter, Races 1 and 4).
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